diff --git a/ui/src/components/IssueProperties.test.tsx b/ui/src/components/IssueProperties.test.tsx
index c4c37a9053..0427bfb6bc 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/IssueProperties.test.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/IssueProperties.test.tsx
@@ -2039,6 +2039,82 @@ describe("IssueProperties", () => {
 
     act(() => rerenderedRoot.unmount());
   });
+
+  it("searches the server for parent candidates so a lower-priority match past the default page stays selectable", async () => {
+    const onUpdate = vi.fn();
+    // The default list is priority-first and caps at 500 rows, so a low-priority
+    // match past that cap never enters the client list. Model that gap: the default
+    // page returns only a high-priority candidate, and the server search with `q`
+    // returns the low-priority match that the default page hides.
+    const defaultPageCandidate = createIssue({
+      id: "issue-2",
+      identifier: "PAP-2",
+      title: "High priority candidate",
+      status: "in_progress",
+      priority: "high",
+    });
+    const lowPriorityMatch = createIssue({
+      id: "issue-900",
+      identifier: "PAP-900",
+      title: "Low priority needle",
+      status: "todo",
+      priority: "low",
+    });
+    mockIssuesApi.list.mockImplementation((_companyId: string, filters?: { q?: string; limit?: number }) => {
+      if (filters?.q === "needle") return Promise.resolve([lowPriorityMatch]);
+      return Promise.resolve([defaultPageCandidate]);
+    });
+
+    const root = renderProperties(container, {
+      issue: createIssue(),
+      childIssues: [],
+      onUpdate,
+      inline: true,
+    });
+    await flush();
+
+    const parentTrigger = findRowTrigger(container, "Parent");
+    expect(parentTrigger).not.toBeUndefined();
+    await act(async () => {
+      parentTrigger!.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("click", { bubbles: true }));
+    });
+    await flush();
+
+    // With an empty search the picker shows the default page. The low-priority match is absent.
+    await waitForAssertion(() => {
+      expect(container.textContent).toContain("PAP-2 High priority candidate");
+    });
+    expect(container.textContent).not.toContain("PAP-900 Low priority needle");
+
+    const searchInput = container.querySelector('input[placeholder="Search tasks..."]') as HTMLInputElement | null;
+    expect(searchInput).not.toBeNull();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      const nativeSetter = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(HTMLInputElement.prototype, "value")?.set;
+      nativeSetter?.call(searchInput, "needle");
+      searchInput!.dispatchEvent(new Event("input", { bubbles: true }));
+    });
+
+    // The typed text re-queries the server with `q`, and the low-priority match now appears.
+    await waitForAssertion(() => {
+      expect(mockIssuesApi.list).toHaveBeenCalledWith("company-1", { q: "needle", limit: 50 });
+      expect(container.textContent).toContain("PAP-900 Low priority needle");
+      expect(container.textContent).not.toContain("PAP-2 High priority candidate");
+    });
+
+    const candidateButton = Array.from(container.querySelectorAll("button"))
+      .find((button) => button.textContent?.includes("PAP-900 Low priority needle"));
+    expect(candidateButton).not.toBeUndefined();
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      candidateButton!.dispatchEvent(new MouseEvent("click", { bubbles: true }));
+    });
+
+    expect(onUpdate).toHaveBeenCalledWith({ parentId: "issue-900" });
+
+    act(() => root.unmount());
+  });
+
   it("shows a run review action after reviewers are configured and starts execution explicitly when clicked", async () => {
     const onUpdate = vi.fn();
     const root = renderProperties(container, {
diff --git a/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx b/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
index ff32ed668c..5fa9ada2be 100644
--- a/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
+++ b/ui/src/components/issue-properties/IssueProperties.tsx
@@ -287,6 +287,7 @@ export function IssueProperties({
   const [watchdogAgentInput, setWatchdogAgentInput] = useState(issue.watchdog?.watchdogAgentId ?? "");
   const [watchdogInstructionsInput, setWatchdogInstructionsInput] = useState(issue.watchdog?.instructions ?? "");
   const normalizedBlockedBySearch = blockedBySearch.trim();
+  const normalizedParentSearch = parentSearch.trim();
 
   useEffect(() => {
     setBlockedByExpanded(false);
@@ -349,6 +350,17 @@ export function IssueProperties({
     enabled: !!companyId && blockedByOpen && normalizedBlockedBySearch.length > 0,
   });
 
+  const { data: searchedParentIssues, isFetching: isFetchingSearchedParentIssues } = useQuery({
+    queryKey: companyId
+      ? queryKeys.issues.search(companyId, normalizedParentSearch, undefined, ISSUE_BLOCKER_SEARCH_LIMIT)
+      : ["issues", "blocker-search", normalizedParentSearch, ISSUE_BLOCKER_SEARCH_LIMIT],
+    queryFn: () => issuesApi.list(companyId!, {
+      q: normalizedParentSearch,
+      limit: ISSUE_BLOCKER_SEARCH_LIMIT,
+    }),
+    enabled: !!companyId && parentOpen && normalizedParentSearch.length > 0,
+  });
+
   const createLabel = useMutation({
     mutationFn: (data: { name: string; color: string }) => issuesApi.createLabel(companyId!, data),
     onSuccess: async (created) => {
@@ -1898,22 +1910,22 @@ export function IssueProperties({
       <ArrowUpRight className="h-3 w-3" />
     </Link>
   ) : undefined;
-  const parentOptions = (allIssues ?? [])
+  const parentSearchActive = normalizedParentSearch.length > 0;
+  // When the user types, search on the server. The default list caps at 500 rows
+  // and sorts priority-first, so a medium-priority or low-priority match past that
+  // cap never enters the client list. A server query with `q` still finds it.
+  const parentSourceIssues = parentSearchActive ? searchedParentIssues : allIssues;
+  const parentOptions = (parentSourceIssues ?? [])
     .filter((candidate) => candidate.id !== issue.id)
     .filter((candidate) => !descendantIssueIds.has(candidate.id))
-    .filter((candidate) => {
-      if (!parentSearch.trim()) return true;
-      const query = parentSearch.toLowerCase();
-      return (
-        (candidate.identifier ?? "").toLowerCase().includes(query) ||
-        candidate.title.toLowerCase().includes(query)
-      );
-    })
     .sort((a, b) => {
       const aLabel = `${a.identifier ?? ""} ${a.title}`.trim();
       const bLabel = `${b.identifier ?? ""} ${b.title}`.trim();
       return aLabel.localeCompare(bLabel);
     });
+  const parentOptionsLoading = parentOpen && (
+    parentSearchActive ? isFetchingSearchedParentIssues : isFetchingIssuePickerIssues
+  );
   const parentContent = (
     <>
       <input
@@ -1955,6 +1967,11 @@ export function IssueProperties({
             </span>
           </button>
         ))}
+        {parentOptionsLoading ? (
+          <div className="px-2 py-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">Searching tasks...</div>
+        ) : parentOptions.length === 0 ? (
+          <div className="px-2 py-2 text-xs text-muted-foreground">No matching tasks.</div>
+        ) : null}
       </div>
     </>
   );